Karnataka to publish drug procurement information online for govt health facilities
Bengaluru: In a significant step towards enhancing transparency and improving public healthcare delivery, the Karnataka State Medical Services Corporation Limited (KSMCL) will soon publish all drug procurement information online. The initiative aims to ensure both the quality and consistent availability of essential medicines at government hospitals and public health centres across the state.
The decision comes after a meeting between KSMCL officials and representatives of Sarvatrika Arogya Andolana-Karnataka (SAA-K), a grassroots campaign advocating for universal healthcare, as well as members of the Drug Action Forum, as reported by Deccan Herald on Tuesday.
A letter was addressed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, and KSMCL Managing Director Kanagavalli M, urging them to make procurement data publicly accessible and ensure consistent supply of medicines and stock maintenance of regularly needed medicines.
"We have called for tenders to supply drugs. We will ensure that there is transparency in the process and that consistency is maintained. We have e-aushadha and e-upakarana for health centres to place orders for drugs," DH quoted Rao as saying.
Representatives from SAA-K pointed out persistent issues in the supply chain, especially affecting economically disadvantaged patients. They mentioned that poor people were being refused medicines as there was no stock in the department.
"The software can be put to better use here to calculate stocks and to ensure that there transparency in the system," DH quoted Dr Akshay, a representative of SAA-K, as saying.
He stated that if a doctor prescribes medicines for multiple months, those medicines must be available each month. “If it is available one month and not the following month, people are forced to buy them from private pharmacies,” Akshay added.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
